Return envelope



Nov. 17 1925; 1,561,454

A. B. ASHBY RETURN ENVELOPE Filed May 2, 1921 Emma Allen D. Ashby Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

ALLEN B. ASHBY, OF,- BONNERS FERRY, IDAHO.

RETURN ENVELOPE.

Application filed May 2, 1921.

I! 0 all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN B. Asnnv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bonners Ferry, in Boundary County and State of Idaho, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Return Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

lily present invention relates to improvements in return envelopes of the end open-- ing type, designed especially for use inbusiness correspondence by mailorder houses or other merchants, and of course the envelope is well adapted for use by other mercantile or business agencies employing the mails for advertising and sale of commodities.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an envelope of this type which may be manufactured at comparatively slight expense and with a minimum use of material, which may be manipulated with facility in closing and sealing for initial use; may be opened by the receiver, and then returned to the sender in first class mailable condition.

The initial and the return envelope are designed for use as first class mail, and as constituted, both the sending and return envelopes present a workmanlike and neat appearance. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the blank or sheet of paper from which the envelope of my invention is made, before being folded to position for use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the initial envelope as used, the front fold or leaf being in position preparatory to closing and sealing.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view )f the initial form of envelope, partly broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 4c is a transverse sectional View of the envelope of Figure 3.

In the preferred form of the invention as shown in the drawings, the {blank from which the envelope is made is fashioned with three leaves 1, 2, 3, formed by scoring the blank on intermediate parallel lines A and B, and it will be understood that various weights of paper and different sizes of blanks may be utilized for producing various kinds of envelopes, as required.

Serial No. 466,1 12.

In Figure l the inner side of the leaf 1 is shownwhile in Figure 2' the outer side of this-leaf is shown, this side becoming the front of the initial envelope and adapted to receive in the upper left hand corner, as usual, the senders address, and the receivers address is written on the face of this front leaf. in customary manner. First class postage is paid by affixing the stamp in theupper right hand corner of the front leaf. At one end the front sheet or leaf is provided with a bent flap 1 preferablyiformed with,

a rounded edge,- and gummed on its inner face along the rounded edge as indicated in l igure l, and along the longitudinal free edge of the leaf 1, a narrow strip 1 is fashioned, also having a gummed face at its inner side.

The intermediate leaf 2 forms the front face of the return envelope, but in the initial envelope is covered by the leaf 1, and is pro vided with a gummed, narrow end strip 2 utilized in the formation of the single pocket of the combined envelope. As seen in Figures 1 and 2 this intermediate leaf has printed thereon the address of the original sender and provision is made for afiixing the return postage stamp at the upper right hand corner of this leaf.

The third leaf, 3, like the first leaf 1, also has an end flap 3 and an edge strip 3", both of which are gummed and utilized in the formation of the envelope.

In forming the receptacle, suitable machines are employed and after the blank has been provided as in Figure l, the leaf 3 is turned under, in Figure 1, on the bend B,'until said leaf lies parallel with and under the intermediate leaf 2, and the gummed face of the strip 3* is sealed along the bend A between the leaves 2 and 3. The end strip 2 is now turned under the adjoining end edges of the leaves 2 and 3 and sealed over the outer face of the leaf 3, thus completing the pocket with an open end at the cut out curved edge E of the intermediate sheet or leaf 2 to facilitate access to the interior of the pocket. The flap 3 is not sealed over the open end of the pocket in the initial use of the envelope but the flap 1 is sealed at the underside of the envelope at the left end, and the narrow gummed strip 1 is sealed along the lower edge of the envelope at the back thereof. In this manner an initial or senders envelope is provided, which is closed and sealed by the use of the address leaf 1, the top edge of the envelope being closed at the bend, A, the left end closed and sealed by the flap 1 and the lower edge being closed and sealed by the strip 1 The packet as sent out by the sender is opened by inserting an instrument back of the address leaf or face leaf of the en velope at the upper right hand corner, or stamped corner of the envelope, and this address leaf is bodily removed from the envelope by running the instrument or knife, along the dotted lines D, around the top, left end, and bottom of the envelope, thus cutting the closure and disclosing the return envelope, with its left end unsealed.

The face 2 of the return envelope has printed thereon the address of the original sender, With provision for affixing a postage stamp at the upper right hand corner, and the name of the return-sender may be placed at the upper left hand corner. The return envelope is closed by sealing the gununed flap 3 over the curved edge E on the front face of the envelope, and may be opened in any desired manner.

Having thus "fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A return envelope comprising an intermediate address leaf having a single end sealing flap, a primary address leaf having a single end sealing flap and an outer sealing edge, and a third leaf having an outer sealing edge and a single end sealing flap, the sealing flaps of the outer leaves being located at the end of the envelope opposite to the end sealing flap of the intermediate leaf, whereby the primary address leaf may be removed by the first receiver in opening the envelope.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

ALLEN B. ASHBY. 

